Malise 8th Earl of Strathearn, Earl of Orkney & Caithness

  General Notes:

His career started off so promisingly. After the death of his father Maol Íosa IV in 1329, he inherited Strathearn. In 1330, he inherited the Earldom of Orkney (with the Mormaerdom of Caithness) through his great-grandmother, Earl Gilbert (Gille Brighde)'s daughter Maud, who had married Maol Íosa II.

Maol Íosa's downfall came as a result of renewed Balliol onslaught which followed the death of the great Robert I. Maol Íosa chose to side with Edward Balliol and the English, and fought for the Balliol side at the Battle of Halidon Hill. The Anglo-Balliol alliance, though, turned its back on Maol Íosa, awarding the Mormaerdom to John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey.

Upon the return to power of David II, Maol Íosa was forgiven, but his Mormaerdom was not restored, instead going to Sir Maurice de Moravia. The Mormaer spent the rest of his days vainly trying to regain it.

He had two wives, the second of whom was Marjory, daughter of Aodh, Earl of Ross. He had four daughters, but no sons. He died in 1350. Strathearn never returned to his heirs, who divided or competed over his more northern inheritance: a grandson named Alexander de l'Arde took seat in Caithness, whereas Erengisle Sunesson, the husband of one of his daughters (possibly named Agnes), received the earl's title of Orkney.

Ultimately, lands in both of these and the Norse earldom (that by decision of Haakon VI of Norway in 1379)passed to his grandson Henry Sinclair I, Earl of Orkney, son of William Sinclair, Lord of Rosslyn, and Maol Iosa's (youngest) daughter Isobel of Strathearn. ²⁶

Malise married Marjory Ross, daughter of Hugh Ross 4th Earl of Ross and Maud de Bruce.